Studying in China opens you up to experiencing 5000 years of history and also gives you the chance to socialize and make friends from all over the world. You might have been told by your friends already enrolling in China that life in China is quite cozy and comfortable. This is a true fact and I bet you will want to know and experience real life in china.
Accommodation
You might wonder for a second how accommodation is like for international students in china. Well, I can assure you there is nothing to worry about. Depending on the rules and regulations of the school you will be enrolling in, you will be open to either leave in a school hostel, rent an apartment outside campus or stay with a local Chinese family.
For most of the international student, the sure way is to accommodate in a school hostel. Most Chinese universities provide comfortable and affordable hostels for international students. Generally, international student hostels come with a private bathroom, washing machine, refrigerator, TV set, and internet access. The cost for accommodation ranges from 400 USD to 1,500 USD annually for different types of rooms. Due to the difference in cost of living, university accommodation in cities like Beijing and Shanghai cost more than that of smaller cities such as Qingdao or Dalian.
Though just a few Chinese universities allow students to live off campus, almost all universities allow senior students to apply for off-campus accommodation which is strictly supervised by university coordinators.
Eating Habits
The great land of China has got not only a rich and true culture but also a good variety of world-class cuisines come with their history. You can easily find a familiar tasting food with the least effort.
Satisfying one's appetite is one sure thing about Chinese local cuisines. Till you get here, it's quite difficult to imagine the vast variety of Chinese cuisines as a foreigner. In China, there are eight main cuisines and each has its own identifying features example, Sichuan cuisine is spicy-hot and heavy in flavor while Hua-yang cuisine is fresh and light. Regardless of the city, you will study in, you will find at least one type that suits you.
Another good news is, there are a variety of international restaurants in the modern cities of china. You will find Turkish, Indian, Italian, Korean, Japanese and French restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian and some other cities
Also, the western fast food franchise such as KFC, McDonald's, Pizza hut, Subway, Starbucks Coffee and Burger King are opened across China
There is a large portion of Muslim residents living in most cities all over china due to its multi-nationality hence Muslim restaurant is a common sight in most Chinese cities. Vegetarianism is not widely practiced in China but Buddhist restaurants do exist and you can always find meat-free options on a Chinese menu.
Food in china is very affordable. It costs an average of less than 1 USD for a meal on university campuses and small restaurants and 2 to 5 USD for a meal in bigger restaurants.
Transportation
China's transport system over the past few decades has been well developed. China can boast of World class international airports like Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. It can also boast of one of the world’s most completed railway system connecting the whole country and this makes it easy to travel from one city to the other. Of course, the easy and affordable means of transportation is the train but the Chinese airlines also offer attractive discounts on the prices of air tickets.
There are a similar means of transportation in most of the modern cities in China. It is either you hop on a bus, pick a taxi, enter the subway or rent a car to move from place to place conveniently.
Studying Mandarin
Just like any language, the best way to improve your Chinese language is to blend in and converse with native speakers. Even though people from different parts of china bear unique dialects, Mandarin or Putonghua is the official language spoken across China. As people from different parts of China have specific dialects, Shandong province is known for the original standard mandarin and is also the birthplace of the great Chinese ancient philosopher, Confucius.
Money Issues
To get more information on currency exchange, bank access, fee payment as a fresher,
Medical Consult
With Chinese medical system, treatment is provided in public and private hospitals. The beneficial aspect of this system for foreigner students is that some big public hospitals establish well-equipped clinics with qualified health practitioners. For students who have just come to China, the emergency call number for medical service is 120.
Communication
China has great media houses like the CCTVs of which some broadcast in English. Big newspapers like China Daily publish in English available in hotels and bookstalls across the country.
Telecommunication service providers are China Mobile, Unicom, and Telecom. Purchase and registration can be done in any of their offices with your passport or stay permit.
Detailed information on living in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Weifang, Dalian, Jinan and Shenyang.
